[Fly Like a Duck]

Guys, the Pistol is just more a formation. That's it. I hate to bust bubbles here, but the philosophies behind the pistol is/are the same ones that are behind most.

It's window dressing. It has a cool name. One of the biggest selling points of the Pistol is the name itself. If it was called "The shotgun with the back behind the QB instead of to the side of him", it wouldn't be anywhere near the craze that it is.

The sole reason that the Pistol was created in the first place out in Nevada was to basically help with the depth of where the Inside and Outside Zone handoff was between the QB and RB. That, plus it didn't tip their hat into which way the RB would most likely being going (in simple terms). Ironically, the Pistol, because of it's base alignment between the QB and RB, is much like the Flexbone and Wishbone offense (as far as the backfield is concerned, you are balanced to both sides...can do the same things to the left that you can to the right without tipping your hat).

The mechanics, footwork and other little things for the QB and backfield can be different because of their alignment, but the schemes are still the same as any other offense out there.

Window dressing. Smoke and mirrors. The name "Pistol". That's what gets people excited, but it's not a new offensively philosophy in the grand scheme of things.